What are the uses of peanut vines? An introduction to common ways they are used
Peanut vines, also called peanut haulm, peanut stems, peanut tendrils and so on, are the stems and leaves of the peanut, an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Arachis in the Fabaceae family. In the past, people would usually just pile up these peanut stems and leaves and burn them, or throw them away as waste. But with the development of science and technology, research has found that peanut vines are actually rich in nutrients, and these peanut vines can be used as feed for herbivorous animals. Below, Qinnong Web will take everyone through a look at what peanut vines are used for!
What are the uses of peanut vines?
Peanut vines are rich in nutrients. Their crude protein content is 1.6 times that of pea vines and 6 times that of rice straw. The energy produced by livestock and poultry eating 1 kilogram of peanut vines is equivalent to the energy produced by 0.6 kilograms of barley. Generally, 300 kilograms of peanuts produced per mu yields 300 kilograms of peanut vines, and when used to feed livestock this is equivalent to the feeding effect of 180 kilograms of barley. At the same time, peanut vines are not only rich in nutrients but also low in price and soft in texture, and can be eaten by all livestock and poultry.
Silage methods for peanut vines
1. Harvesting and transport: Peanut vines cannot be fed directly to animals as food; they need to go through certain processing to increase their digestibility and absorption rate. Processed peanut vines can also enhance the comfort of the taste. This requires timely harvesting after the peanuts mature and timely transport of the peanut vines to the silage site, to prevent moisture evaporation caused by taking too long.
2. Crushing and chopping: Crush the peanut vines or cut them into small pieces of 2 to 3 cm, to facilitate treading firm, pressing tight and expelling air when filling the silo, while also settling more evenly with less nutrient loss, and it is also beneficial to the growth of lactic acid bacteria, accelerating the silage process.
3. Mixing and filling the silo: For every 5 tons of peanut vines use 1 kilogram of silage fermentation agent. Dilute the fermentation agent with rice bran at about 1:10 and mix evenly, adjust the moisture to 60 to 70%, then begin filling the silo. While filling in the peanut vines, sprinkle the fermentation agent, treading as you fill; the more firmly the edges are trodden the better.
4. Sealing and fermentation: The fermentation process should ensure good sealing. When making silage by the plastic film covering method, note that after the final covering with plastic film, soil or other heavy objects should be placed on top. The film should be strictly sealed to prevent air leakage. Generally, fermentation is complete in 3 to 4 weeks.
Benefits of peanut vine silage
1. Preserving nutrients: After fermentation, peanut vines not only retain the softness and juiciness of green fodder but also reduce nutrient loss to the minimum.
2. Easier to store: After fermentation into silage, peanut vines are easier to store, and even in winter the supply of green fodder can be guaranteed.
3. Rich in nutrients: During the fermentation of peanut vines, a large amount of bacterial protein and trace elements is added, making the nutrient content even richer.
4. Good palatability: After fermentation, peanut vines have a fresh fragrance and excellent taste, making livestock and poultry more willing to eat them, and greatly saving on feed costs.
The above is Qinnong Web's introduction to the functions and uses of peanut vines. You can see that peanut vines have gone from being waste to being turned into something valuable, which reflects the improvement of people's level of understanding. It is believed that with the continuous progress of science and technology, more and more things like peanut vines will go from having no use to being useful, and more and more uses will be developed for them.